Railway-switch.



PATENTED NOV. 20, 1906.

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RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 15, 1905.

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tying the points of the switch-tongues.

PHILO SCOTT, oF FINE, NEW YORK. RAILWAY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patefit.

' Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

Application filed June 15, 1906. Serial. No- 321,796.

moved and maintained in either open or closed position asif made of a single part.

The object of the invention is to rovide a railway-switch in which the mova le members especially the tongues or pointed rails ,are held rigidly in place and prevented from becoming loosened by reason of the wear, strain, I

or vibration caused by passing trains; and a particular object is to provide simple but powerful means for bracing and holding the thin or sharp points of said switch-tongues from being s rung or jarred out of line or placeduring t e passage of trains over said swltch and a further object is to provide means for readily and quickly adjusting certain parts of the switch, the said switch being adapted for connection with and o oration by any of the well-known switch-t owing levers or stands.

Other features and objects of the invention will'be fully understood from the detail description which follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speclfication, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved switch, showing the manner of constructing and applying the same in connection with the track-rails. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the switch-operating parts, cross-section substantially on the line a a of Fig. 1, showing the manner of bracing 1and 1 4 is a cross-section substantially on the line' a: m of Fig. 1, showing adjustable means'for securing the switch-rails to one of the tie bars or plates. Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the clamping-do s and wedges.

Similar re erence-numerals are assigned to corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Fig. 3 is a In the drawings, 2 represents the cross-ties upon which are laid the continuous or permanent track-rails 3, the latter having. no direct connection with the switch members.

4 4 re resent the rails forming a continuation of t e movable switch tongues or rails 5 and 6, which are joined to the rails 4 by means of the fish-plates 7. Any other suitable connecting means may be employed for connecting the tongues to rails 4. Thelateral movable play of the switch-tongues 5 and 6 being very slight, not over two or three inches at their free ends or points, the said fish-plates will permit of the operation of the switch-tongues without any other form of ivot or hinge connection than that shown in i 1. The switch-tongues 5 and 6 have a sli ing bearing on the upper face or side of the cross-ties 2, which serve to keep them in level position Withreference to the main or rigid track-rails.

Tongues 5 and 6 are bolted or otherwiserigidly secured to a series of flat steel or iron bars'which are disposed between and extend, across the road-bed parallel to theties 2. The most important of'these metallic tie-bars 8 is referably 'made in the form of an elongated horseshoe, the arms of which arem'ade long enough to engage and bear against the under side of the two outer track-rails3.

9 represents another fiat metal bar which also extends across and under the tracks 3,

and it is disposed between the arms of bar 8. Bar 9 is securely bolted to the curved portion of bar 8, where it lies in an angle or recess 10, provided for the purpose of bringing the said ars to a common level beneath the several rails. These two bars are therefore tied together and capable of being moved as one part. Bar 9 and one arm of'bar'S are directly connected to the switchtongues 5 and 6, by means of a series of metallic fasteners or rail-braces 11 (shown in Fig. 1) in such a manner that when bar 9, which is intended to be connected with any suitable switchthrowing-stand or lever, is moved to right or left, it causes theopening or the closing of said switch by a corresponding movement of tongues 5 and 6. One end of bar 9 is pro:

vided with a hole or slot 12 for use in connect= ing it with a switch-stand or lever.

13 represents a third metallic bar disposeding 3 laterally or: v1

beneath and connected to tongues 5 and 6 near their inner ends. This bar or tie-plate is intended to assist the other bars in moving, as well'as holding, the tongues in true level position and parallel with each other, and it also extends for some distance beyond the rails 3 in order to prevent the tongues from being lifted above the level of the trackrails. Switch-tongues 5 and 6 are connected to bar 13 by means of a-series of dogs or clamps 14, which are held in place and drawn tight y against the tongues by the keys or wedges 15. Dogs 14 pass through and are held from lateral movement by the slots 16, formed in bar 13. This latter form oftconnection is provided to aflord means for keeping these parts tightened up. In'the 0 style of switches bolts or rivets. have been extensively. employed to bind or secure the movablev switch-tongues together, and the vibration caused by the passing of heavy trainsover the switches has shown a constant tendency to loosen said arts, and often costly wrecks have resulted With the key and clamp connections shown and described herein, there is less liability of the said parts being shaken loose, and if they should become slack it is a very simple matter for the track men to drive in' the wedges or keys 15.

A large number of derailments and-other serious accidents are-colnstantly occurring at railway-switches due largely to the fact that the points-of'the switch-tongues, neces-. sarily made slender-and light, are not held rigidly'enough to revent them from springhrating to such an extent that theflanges of the wheels of rapidlymoving trains causes the accidental opening and frequently the breaking of the switch tongues. In order'to safely guard against all such mishaps,'I have provided diagonal braces 17 and 18 substantially in the form of the letter X and'have disposed them in such manner that one end of each brace bears against the side of the thin point of the tongue, and each brace is then secured to the bars 8 and 9 by meansof the bolts 19, while the opposite ends of said braces are secured to the central portion of the tongues; Under this form of bracing it is practicallyv impossible for the free ends or points of thetongues 5 and 6 to vibrate or otherwise move unless o ierated by the switch-throwing -means, w ch may be connected with the bar 9.' Diag al braces 17 and'1-8 where they cross eachother are also bolted together, as shown. in Fig. 1. In order to make the ton e+ points still more rigid and unyielding; w on the switch is set either position, I have. provided a transverse brace20, preferably made of metal in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This brace is bolted to the outer "with a pair of switch-ton endsof braces 17 and 18 andalso to the extreme end or point of each of the tongues 5 and 6.- Under the herein-described plan or form of bracing, taken with,the connections between the bars 8 and 9 and the switchtongues, all of the movable parts of my switch may be shifted or held in any desire'd position without in any Way endangering the safe passage of trains, whether the switch is openor closed. A

It is obvious that the form and arrangement ofthevarious parts of my invention me be. modified or changed within the scope de ned by the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention,

Having thus described my invention, what I'claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v v -1. In a railway-switch, the combination with a pair ofswitch-tongues, of a series'of metallic bars secured to said switch-tongues, one of said bars being formed like a horseshoe, the other bars being substantially straight,-a pair of dia onal braces connected and a transverse brace connected to the points of said, switch-ton ues and to the outer ends of said diagon Ibrace's, substantially as described.

2. In a railway-switch, the combination with the track-rails and a pair of movable switch-tongues disposed between said trackrails, of a series of metallic tie-bars connected to said switch-tongues and disposedundetfneath said track-rails and said tongues, a

to hold said bars and tongues rigidly together,

to said tongues and a so .to two of said bars,

pair of diagonal braces mounted upon said tie-bars between said switch-tongus adapted a transverse brace disposed between and connected to the points of said switch-tongues and alsoconnected to said diagonal braces,' and a series of dogs-andkeys for connecting one of said tie-bars to said switch-tongues.

3. In a railwayswiteh,- the combination es dis osed be. tween permanent track-rai s, of a p urality of tiebars extending across the iioactbed beneath said track-rails andjsaid-switchrtongues adapted-to hold said switch tongues in leveland parallet position and;- to effect the opening and closing-0f said switch, diagonal braces secured to the upper sid sf-of two of said'tiebars and' also secured-tosaid switch-tongues, a transverse brace connected with the points of said switch-tongues ."and with the outer ends of said diagonal time, adjustable 7 means, com rising a series of dogs or clamps. and wed es or connectlng said sw1tch-tongues to one o sald tie-bars and-meaisfor connecting stand or lever.

ing one said tie-bars with a.switch'operat.

switch-tongues, of-a series of bars disposed said tongues and with two of said bars, a inpresence of two witnesses.

beneath said rails and tongues, means for for connecting'said tongues with a switchto connecting said bars to said tongues, means operating mechanism, substantially as defor connecting two of said bars with each scribed. other, a pair of crossed braces connected with a In testimony whereof I aflix my signature transverse brace connected to said crossed braces and also. to the points of said tongues, Witnesses: means for connecting said tongues with the 4 HARRY DE WALLACE, fixed rails of a siding or main line, and means EDGAR V. BLOODQUGH;

PHILO SCOTT. 

